Life, the Universe and Everything
Life, the Universe and Everything is the third Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy book by Douglas Adams, first published by Pan Books in the UK in August 1982. Arthur Dent and Ford Prefect try to stop the robots of Krikkit. It grew from a rejected Doctor Who story.
- Editions tracked
- 2
- First edition
- Pan Books, 1982
- First published
- Pan Books, 1982
The first edition of Life, the Universe and Everything by Douglas Adams was published in London by Pan Books in 1982. We track 2 editions.
Which edition do you have?
First edition
- 1st Pan Books1982 Paperback · The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy 3 I own Life, the Universe and Everything, Pan Books 1982 Log in to want this
Later and other editions
- Harmony Books1982 Hardback · The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy 3 I own Life, the Universe and Everything, Harmony Books 1982 Log in to want this
We have not yet researched the issue points for this book. If you know how to tell the first from later printings, tell us and we will credit you once it is checked against a second source.
Awards, adaptations and setting
Awards and honours
Setting and characters
- Set in
- Earth, Places in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
- Characters
- Arthur Dent, Zaphod Beeblebrox, Ford Prefect, Slartibartfast, Trillian, Marvin the Paranoid Android, Eddie the Computer
- Genre
- science fiction comedy, science fiction, fantasy, humorous fiction
Read next
- Comes after
- The Restaurant at the End of the Universe
- Followed by
- So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish
In print
- Editions recorded
- 65 on Open Library, 34 in English
- Wikipedia
- Articles in 25 languages
From Wikidata and Open Library, both CC0. A prize or a new adaptation often lifts demand for the first printing.
More by Douglas Adams
- The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy1979 · 1 edition
- The Restaurant at the End of the Universe1980 · 2 editions
- The Meaning of Liff1983 · 1 edition
- So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish1984 · 2 editions
- The Original Hitchhiker Radio Scripts1985 · 2 editions
- Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency1987 · 1 edition
- The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul1988 · 2 editions
- Last Chance to See1990 · 1 edition
Questions about Life, the Universe and Everything
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Know what you are looking at
How to Identify a First Edition
To identify a first edition, check that your copy is the first printing of the first edition. Read the copyright …
Read the guide →6 min readBook Condition Grading: Fine to Poor Explained
Book condition grading uses a six-step trade scale: Fine, Near Fine, Very Good, Good, Fair and Poor. Collectors grade the …
Read the guide →7 min readDust Jackets Explained: Why the Jacket Drives a Book's Value
For most books published since the 1920s, the original dust jacket carries a large share of the value, often most …
Read the guide →Frequently asked questions
Who published the first edition of Life, the Universe and Everything?
The first edition of Life, the Universe and Everything by Douglas Adams was published in London by Pan Books in 1982.
How many editions of Life, the Universe and Everything are there?
We track 2 editions of Life, the Universe and Everything, including 1 first edition. Each has its own page with how to identify it.
What should I read after Life, the Universe and Everything?
In order, it follows The Restaurant at the End of the Universe and it is followed by So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish, according to Wikidata.
Where these facts come from
- Life, the Universe and Everything, Wikipedia, 2026 (en.wikipedia.org)
- Life, the Universe and Everything editions, Goodreads (goodreads.com)
Every fact on this page was checked against the sources listed. Checked 17 October 2026. Reviewed by Harriet Ellis; read how we check facts.